Man United to bid £95m for coveted French striker

Manchester United are set to hijack Barcelona’s deal for Antoine Griezmann after the striker handed in a transfer request at Atletico Madrid.

Antoine Griezmann announced last month that he would leave Atletico Madrid after five years in Madrid and Barcelona have been favourites to land the forward for much of the summer.

However, the Catalan giants are now stalling over an offer for the 28-year-old and have switched their attention to Neymar and Valencia’s Rodrigo, who would be a much cheaper alternative, and there is a feeling among some inside Barcelona’s boardroom that sealing a deal for the striker would be more hassle than it is worth.

Barcelona’s reluctance has alerted Manchester United to the situation, and the English giants are lining up a huge offer for the World Cup winners.

The Red Devils are ready to smash their transfer record with a £95m bid for Antoine Griezmann, who was on the verge of a move to Old Trafford back in 2017 before Atletico’s transfer ban was upheld meaning they could not find a replacement.

Manchester United know Griezmann will be put off by their failure to secure Champions League, but their willingness to satisfy his £450,000-a-week wage demands could give them the edge.

Following France’s 4-0 win over Andorra, Antoine Griezmann brushed off speculation linking him with the La Liga champions by suggesting that his future may lie outside of Spain.

‘There’s a need for patience, as it’s still soon,’ he said. ‘I want my future to be decided more than anyone, but there’s a need to wait. I don’t know if I’ll remain in Spain.’